No, I’m not talking about Election Season—I’m talking about the string of wedding anniversaries, birthdays, and festive holiday gift giving occasions that are almost upon us. Let me take some of the stress out of it and drop some hints. Here’s one:

As someone who loves to browse the library and sit and read among a community of readers, I can't wait to get my copy of Robert Dawson's The Public LIbrary: A Photographic Essay. This quote from the afterword by Ann Patchett eloquently captures both how essential public libraries are to our country, and the importance of our continued support and patronage:

"Know this — if you love your library, use your library. Support libraries in your words and deeds. If you are fortunate enough to be able to buy your books, and you have your own computer with which to conduct research, and you’re not in search of a story hour for your children, then don’t forget about the members of your community who are like you but perhaps lack your resources — the ones who love to read, who long to learn, who need a place to go and sit and think. Make sure that in your good fortune you remember to support their quest for a better life. That’s what a library promises us, after all: a better life. And that’s what libraries have delivered."

RFK's words and the Zen Pencils illustrations would serve as a great introduction to a lesson/classroom discussion about the racial strife and animus that exploded into violence in Charlottesville this past weekend.

Dungeons & Dragons club at lunch! I wasn't kidding about the whole "unrepentant geek" thing! And while proving to myself that all the arcana learned thirty years is still in my head somewhere is a huge plus, joining the club is also a great way to meet students on a person-to-person, player-to-player basis and to connect with my colleagues.

Night Owl Book Club enamel pin by book designer and illustrator Andrew Brozyna.

Sleep is good, and books are better.

— Tyrion Lannister

Note: Since neither I nor Tyrion Lanister are medical professionals, this should in no way be construed as health advice. We obviously all need much more sleep. And also way more reading. So maybe it's more time that we need?